Lagos schools resume for 2019/2020 academic session

Primary and secondary schools in Lagos State resumed for the first term of the 2019/2020 academic session on Monday.

The state government, had on Sept. 6, directed all public and private schools in the state to resume on Monday, Sept. 9 to enable them adhere to the Uniform School Calendar for proper planning and organisation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited some of the private and public schools in the state, reported that many schools opened and recorded high turnout of old and new students.

Parents were seen around as early as 7:00 a.m. taking their wards to schools, while teachers and school administrators were on ground attending to pupils.

At the State Senior Secondary School 1 and Junior Secondary School 1, Alimosho, teachers were having a meeting with the principals, while many students were already in their classrooms at about 8:00 a. m.

An official, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that teachers had resumed work fully and advised students that were yet to resume to do so.

Taibat Anifowoshe, a Senior Secondary School 3 student at the school, prayed for a successful session and urged her mates to begin the new session with hard work and dedication.

Mrs Olaide Aina, a bookseller at the school premises, complained of low patronage.

Aina, however, expressed optimism that her sales would improve subsequently as more students resume.

NAN also observed that many parents were seen registering their children, while some were making inquiries on admission process at African Child Primary School, Akinogun, Ipaja.

Mrs Elizabeth Amusan, the Headmistress of the school, said that the school management expected that the pupils would focus more on their studies since the teachers were ready to work.

Amusan said the school would organise tests for the pupils as they resume to review what they were taught at the summer school.

“We are ready for the students because we want them to do better than last session by winning more scholarships either in sports activities or academic competitions.

“We had a meeting with the teachers last week on holistic planning in order to plan ahead for the new session.

“During the meeting, we made the teachers realise that they must be more dedicated to their work in the new session,” she said.

Mrs Nike Oluwole, Head Teacher at Daystar Nursery and Primary School, Akinogun, Ipaja, said that the goal in the new session would be to improve and bring new ideas on how to teach the students.

Oluwole said that the school’s teachers had been prepared to impact knowledge and new skills to the students.

“Seventy per cent of our students are back to school and we are still expecting more of them.

“Many parents have been coming and calling to make inquiries for admission which means we are going to have new students,” she said.

Mr Adebayo Olajide, the Head Teacher at Bols International School, Ipaja, advised public and private schools to be more committed to the development of education in the state and country.